Curtain stretcher



.unel 2, 1936. F. E. AcKER CURTAIN STRETCHER Filed Aug. 3, 1955 R. am, m

/n/Mm www m5 Hw m/M MA JW Patented June 2, 1936 APATENT OFFICE CURTAIN STRETCHER 'Frank Edward Acker, Warrensville Heights, Ohio Application August 3, 1935, Serial No. 34,615

Claims.

'The Ipresent invention lrelates to curtain stretchers or the like and particularly .to frames forvfstre`tchin`g Vnetted curtains.

One' of 'the iobj ects i of the present `invention is -5 tocconstruct the side rails of 'thestretcher in suchffashionthat they provide abutments aligned withone 'another '.for 'slidably engaging and for retaining spaced transversely 'disposed curtain `rods'in position, 'alsoto provide 'for holding the side edges of `the curtain in'position While tthe 'side rails :are spread, and 'also to connect the fsiderails with another by toggle-like linkage for spreading the rails.

YIn carrying out the foregoing object, it is a furfther object of the present invention to construct =the Yrails fo'f 'material which is substantially L- "fshaped in cross section,Y utilizing the vertically eX- tending lleg of the L--s'haped rail .for providing 'abutmentsiorthe curtain rods and utilizing the horizontally extending leg to carry the means for 'holding the side edges-ofthe curtain.

:Further objects and advantages will be appar- I ent from fthe following disclosure, reference be- 'inghadto the accompanying drawing wherein a lpreferred v`form o"f embodiment of the present invention is 'clearly shown.

'Inthe drawing:

Fig. T1 is a top plan view of the improved stretcher 'carrying a single curtain, the full lines "showingtheposition of the-various parts in curtain stretching position and the dotted lines showing thep'o-sition of the parts when a curftain is being attached;

Fig."2 is a side View of Fig. l;

FigsjB, 4 and 5 are sectional views taken, respectively, on 'lines 3-'3,J4-'4 and 5-5 of Fig. 1, and

Fig. 6 is'a'view showing the stretcher collapsed and disposedwithin a storage box.

uIn the .particular embodiment illustrated, the frame is formed in a unitary structure. 'I'he side-rails or bars'Z and 2| are each formed of two sections, rail including sections 23 and 24 and rail"2| including sections 25 and 26. Hinges .'21 connect thesectionsfof thespeciic rails and these hingesare-disposed underneath'the rails. Rail sections 23 and"24 each'pivotally carry a hook-29 which-.is arranged to engage the underside of headed studs 30 to hold the respective rail sections in aligned position.

It will be noted, particularly in Fig. 4, that the rails are substantially L-shaped in cross section, the lower or horizontal legs 3| of the L-shaped legs extending inwardly. These legs 3| carry the means for engaging the side edges of the curtain and in the specic embodiment upwardly eX- tending prongs or nails 34 are provided onto which the .edges of the curtain are laced. The

vertically extending legs 33 of 'the L-shaped rails are each provided with a series of equally spaced abutments. These abutments may be formed by notching or as'herein'shown by drilling holes 35 in the legs 33. The-holes 35 in rail 20 are aligned with the holes in rail 2| so as to receive Ucurtain rods 3l and 38 disposed transversely of rails 20 and 2|.

For illustrating the principle of the present invention, it will be assumed that the rails 2B and '2| are in the dotted line position inwhich the rails are indicated at 20a and 2|a. The rods 3l and 38 are then inserted through the-end hems 40 of curtain 4| or are laced onto the curtain. Then one'end of lthe rod 31 is inserted through one of theiholes 135 in rails 25. This insertion i will be from the inside of the frame. The rod 3l Vwill then be drawn through the rail far enough to clear the leg 33 of rail 2| and then'the rod will be moved in the opposite direction and into a hole-35 in rail 2|. The hole selected will be in alignment with the selected hole 35 of rail 20 sothat the rod is disposed at right angles to rail '20 and 2 I. The length to which the curtain must be stretched being known,the curtain is stretched by pullingon rod 38 and this rodis then inserted into the desired hole 35 in one of the rails and then into the hole in the other rail. Thus the curtain is stretched tothe desired distance lengthwise. After thecurtain is straightened on the rods, the edgesthereof are fastened to the prongs 34 and then the rails are spread.

For the purpose of spreading the rails 20 and 2|, I have provided a toggle-like linkage and in the present embodiment, this linkage is disposed at each end of the rails 20 and 2 I. Each linkage 43 and 44 includes two links, linkage 43 includes links 43 and 4l and the other includes links 48 and 49. Links 46 and 48 are hinged to opposite ends of rail 20 by hinges 50 and links 4l and 49 are hinged to opposite ends of rail 2| by like hinges 50. The inner ends of links 46 and 4l are connected with one another by hinge 52 and likewise the inner ends of links 48 and 49 are connected.

When the curtain is attached to the rails 20 and 2| as hereinbefore described, linkages 43 and 44 are in the dotted line position indicated at 43a and 44a. Then, when the center part of the linkage is forced inwardly, the rails 20 and 2| will be spread outwardly to stretch the curtain to its proper width. The links 46, 47, 48 and 49 are preferably each made of two pieces 54 and 55. Each piece 55 is provided with spaced holes 56 and each hole is adapted to receive a bolt 51. The bolts 51 extend through pieces 54 and are held from turning Aby a square shank 58. 'Ihe pieces 54 and 55 are held in the selected hole position by wing nuts 59. Preferably, the top of pieces 54 are marked in inches so that the proper hole 56 can be selected to stretch the curtain to the known width desired. Likewise the tops of rails 20 and 2| are marked in inches so that the curtain can be stretched to the known length desired.

It will be noted that the ends of rails 26 and 2| and the adjoining ends of link pieces 54 are mitered. This miter is cut so that the linkages 43 and 44 are moved inwardly a short distance beyond their dead center positions whereby the tension of the stretched curtain or curtains can be utilized for holding the linkages in the widthwise curtain stretch position and, if desirable, a hook 58 can be pivotally attached to one piece 55 and a head stud 59 attached to the adjoining piece 55 to hook these pieces together.

The diameters of the rods 3`| and 38 are less than the diameter of holes 35 so that the rails can slide readily relative to the rods when the rails are being spread. The prongs 34 are of sufficient length to hold several curtains disposed one above the other. In this manner several curtains can be dried simultaneously. It will of course be understood that separate sets of rods 3`| and 38 will be provided for each curtain if the rods extend through the hems 40 and the rods of a set will then be placed in other holes 35 in rails 2U and 2|.

Thus it is apparent that I have provided a curtain stretcher by which the curtain or a plurality of curtains can be stretched readily both lengthwise and widthwise and in which the curtains can be stretched to the desired dimension.

The entire stretcher can be collapsed to form a compact structure so that it and a number of curtain rods can be placed in narrow and short box 60. To fold the stretcher, the hooks 29 are first turned free of studs 3|) and then one half of the stretcher is folded back on the other half as shown in dotted lines in Fig. 2.Y In this position linkages 43 and 44 overlie one another. The foregoing folding can be carried out either before or after the hooks 56 are released from studs 59 and the rails 2|! and 2| are moved beside one another. After half of stretcher is folded back on the other half, the folded rails 20 and 2| are swung outwardly to the position shown in Fig. 6 so that it will fit within box 60. The number of rods 31 and rods 38 are not shown in box .60 for the sake of more clearly showing the stretcher.

While the form of embodiment of the present invention as herein disclosed constitutes a pre-l rails each having an abutment aligned with one another for slidable engagement with a transversely disposed curtain rod, similar abutments arranged spaced from the rst abutments for slidable engagement with a second transversely disposed rod, means arranged along the length of the rails for holding the edges of the curtain, and toggle-like linkage connected with the rails for spreading the rails in a direction longitudinally of the rods.

2. In a curtain stretcher, the combination with a curtain, of a frame comprising spaced side rails each having an abutment aligned with one another for slidable engagement with a transversely disposed curtain rod, similar abutments arranged spaced from the rst abutments for slidable engagement with a second transversely disposed rod, means arranged along the length of the rails for holding the edges of the curtain, and adjustable toggle-like linkage connected with the rails for spreading the rails in a direction longitudinally of the rods.

3. In a curtain stretcher, the combination with a curtain, of a frame comprising spaced side rails each being recessed in alignment'with one another to provide abutments for slidable engagement with a transversely disposed curtain rod, similar recesses arranged in alignment with one another to provide abutments for slidable engagement with a second transversely disposed rod, means arranged along the length of the rails for holding the edges of the curtain, and toggle-like linkage connected with the rails for spreading the rails in a direction longitudinally of the rods.

4. In a curtain stretcher, the combination with a curtain, of a frame comprising spaced side rails, said rails being substantially L-shaped in cross section and the lower legs of said rails extending inwardly toward one another, the vertically eX- tending legs each forming an abutment, the abutment of one leg being aligned with the abutment of the other leg for slidable engagement with a transversely disposed curtain rod, similar abutments arranged spaced from the rst abutments for slidable engagement with a second transversely disposed rod, means on the lower legs of the rails and extending lengthwise of the rails for holding the edges of the curtain, and toggle-like linkage connected with the rails for spreading the rails in a direction longitudinally of the rods.

5. In a curtain stretcher, the combination with a curtain, of a frame comprising spaced side rails, said rails being substantially L-shaped in cross section and the lower legs of said rails extending inwardly toward one another, the vertically extending legs each forming an abutment, the abutment of one leg being aligned with the abutment of the other leg for slidable engagement with a transversely disposed curtain rod, similar abutments arranged spaced from the rst abutments for slidable engagement with a second transversely disposed rod, a plurality of prongs extending upwardly from the lower legs of the rails for holding the edges of the curtain, and toggle-like linkage connected with the rails for spreading the rails in a direction longitudinally of the rods.

FRANK El. ACKER. Y 

